Trapped atmosphere closure assembly

ABSTRACT

An assembly for trapping air, nitrogen or other gas under atmospheric pressure to create a sealing pressure on a lid of a vacuum chamber carried by a missile. The gas is trapped between the lid and a cover secured to the vacuum chamber by latch means. When the designated space environment is reached a valve is energized to release the sealing pressure and equalize the pressures on opposite sides of the cover for easy opening of the latches.

[ Apr. 2, 1974 1 TRAPPED ATMOSPITERE CLOSURE ASSEMBLY [75] inventor: Rodney L. Raymond, Gardena,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC.

22 Filed: Nov. 23, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 201,358

[52] US. Cl. 220/44 R, 220/29, 220/55 E I 51 Int. Cl. 865d 51/16, B65d 51/18 [58] Field of Search 220/29, 44 R, 44 A, 55 E; 251/129; 137/587 2,834,504 5/1958 Annicq 220/55 E 1,902,027 3/1933 Henkel... 2,521,308 9/1950 Porter 251/129 Primary ExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance Attorney, Agent, or FirmLawrence A. Neureither; Leonard Flank; Charles R. Carter [57] ABSTRACT An assembly for trapping air, nitrogen or other gas under atmospheric pressure to create a sealing pressure on a lid of a vacuum chamber carried by a missile. The gas is trapped between the lid and a cover secured to the vacuum chamber by latch means. When the designated space environment is reached a valve is energized to release the sealing pressure and equalize [56] i inferences C the pressures on opposite sides of the cover for easy UNITED STATES PATENTS opening of the latches.

3,001,639 9/1961 Addis 206/46 FR 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure 9 I5 23 o HI EATENIEDAPR 2 I914 Rodney L.Rc|ymond,

INVENTOR MKZQ Z/ 1 TRAPPED ATMOSPHERE CLOSURE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of atmospheric closure assemblies. Some missiles carry hardware in a vacuum chamber for use when the missile reaches a designated space environment at higher attitudes. These chambers are closed by a cover which is mechanically latched to the chamber to maintain sealing pressure on the cover. As the higher altitudes are reached the force of the atmosphere is removed from the chamber and cover. The resiliency of the sealing material will force the cover outward and before the designated space environment is reached the vacuum seal becomes completely dependent upon the mechanical latches. When the designated space environment is reached a large force must be applied to the latches to release the cover thus draining missile power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FlGURE shown is a section view of the closure assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing reference numeral 1 identifies a vacuum chamber for carrying hardware for use in a missile after the missile has reached a desired space environment. An end of the vacuum chamber is provided with an outwardly projecting lip 3. A lid 5 engages the end of the vacuum chamber and the lid includes a resilient means 7 for sealing the vacuum chamber. Disposed above the lid is a cover 9 provided with a downwardly extending flange 11 which includes a seal 13 for trapping air, nitrogen or other gas at atmospheric pressure in a space 15 equal to the outside environment. The inside flange 11 is closely fitted with the 2 outside dimensions of lip 3 so that seal 13 can be effective under varying atmospheric pressure changes. The cover is provided with a plurality of mechanical latches 17 for locking the cover to the vacuum chamber. The distance flange 11 extends from the cover is designed so that the space 15 is provided when latch ends 19 en gages the underside of flange 11 and lip 3. A solenoid operated valve 21 is mounted on the cover for releasing the trapped pressure in space 15 through opening 23 when the solenoid is energized by power being applied to wires 25.

In operation the vacuum chamber 1 is evacuated by means 27 until a pressure of l4.7 PSI is created on the outside of lid 5. Closing the cover 9 traps approximately one atmosphere pressure between the lid and cover 9. As the assembly is taken to higher altitudes the pressure outside the cover .and vacuum chamber becomes less but the atmospheric pressure between the cover and lid remain the same due to the sealing arrangement 13. Since this trapped atmosphere cannot escape it creates a sealing force on the lid while the cover is restrained by the latches. When the desired space environment is reached the solenoid valve is energized and the pressure in space 15 is released into space through opening 23. The latches can be very easily opened after dumping since the pressures outside the cover, between the cover and lid, and in the vacuum chamber are equal.

I claim:

1. A trapped atmosphere closure assembly on a vacuum chamber contained in a missile comprising: a lid having seal means thereon for sealing said vacuum chamber; a cover connected to said vacuum chamber by pivoted latches; said cover being spaced from said lid to provide an air space therebetween for maintaining a sealing force under atmospheric pressure on said lid; said airspace being sealed by means including a lip projecting from said vacuum chamber, a downwardly extending flange for engagement with said lip and a seal carried by said flange to engage the vertical surface said lip; said lid seal means engaging the horizontal surface of said lip; said cover being provided with an .opening for communicating the space between said lid and said cover with the outside environment; and a solenoid valve carried by said cover for controling said opening and releasing said sealing force when the missile has taken the vacuum chamber to a designated space environment. 

1. A trapped atmosphere closure assembly on a vacuum chamber contained in a missile comprising: a lid having seal means thereon for sealing said vacuum chamber; a cover connected to said vacuum chamber by pivoted latches; said cover being spaced from said lid to provide an air space therebetween for maintaining a sealing force under atmospheric pressure on said lid; said air space being sealed by means including a lip projecting from said vacuum chamber, a downwardly extending flange for engagement with said lip and a seal carried by said flange to engage the vertical surface said lip; said lid seal means engaging the horizontal surface of said lip; said cover being provided with an opening for communicating the space between said lid and said cover with the outside environment; and a solenoid valve carried by said cover for controling said opening and releasing said sealing force when the missile has taken the vacuum chamber to a designated space environment. 